@media screen and (max-width: 403px) and (min-width:200px){ Never did Ryan expect he would be looking skyward at Louises funeral and making a promise to honour her wishes. Okere Falls is the inlet to the Kaituna. .top_marquee { She decided artificial slalom courses were not for her and switched her focus to whitewater kayaking. border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; } You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. } One trip you should not miss on the North Island when you visit Rotorua is a rafting trip with River Rats Rafting. width: 100%; .mobile-branding{ Since the very beginning Ryans goals have been about the adventure and challenging himself to push his limits. } } top: 0; /* border-bottom: 1px solid #2575fc; */ } The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Louise and Ryan had talked about the end. Whitewater Rafting Rotorua Rotorua's Rafting Experts, SAVE $10 Per Person Use Promo Code: CASCADES. position: relative; According to the International Scale of River Difficulty, whitewater streams are graded one to six, with one being an easy, gentle passage and six being unrunnable for all but a few experts. If for any reason we feel safety is compromised we reserve the right to cancel any trip or person. Its a great place to train, a great place to hang out. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. With the gorge framed by native bush, fallen logs also pose a major hazard for kayakers. Others have returned in their own time. A nurse who was on the river at the time performed CPR on the man, along with staff from Kaitiaki Adventures, before being taken to Rotorua Hospital by St John paramedics. Mt Tarawera and Rafting Combo. After everyone was dressed for rafting we loaded up in the van and headed to the drop in the area of the Kaituna River to begin our adventure. You dont need any prior experience prior to doing this, and tour companies claim you dont even need to be able to swim as youll be fully kitted out in lifejackets the whole time. flex-wrap: wrap !important; @media screen and (max-width: 778px){ margin-top:25px; Too late, youre plunging down the waterfall in one quick motion. You might even enjoy the extra rush of capsizing on the worlds tallest commercially rafted waterfall. The river has been run regularly by rafting and kayak since 1991. .kaituna-button:hover { There is one particularly striking picture taken just after he has gone over the edge of the 30m high Ram Falls in the Canadian Rockies. background-attachment: scroll !important; Kaituna Cascades was established in 1991 and is still today locally owned and operated out of Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. It wasnt always easy to watch. We have created the best rafting adventures on the planet, packed with action and excitement and a life changing experience youll never forget. } Her parents would often only later hear what she had been up to. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. } age: 13 years (See special notes) Exceptional Value Exceptional Value Book shore excursions with confidence! After getting picked up, youll be taken to the mustering areas on the river to kit up and go through the safety brief, then youll hit the water in your raft. /* width: 230px !important; */ Ryan didnt just want the hero footage those times when he effortlessly styles his way down a treacherous stretch of water shown in the video feature accompanying this piece. As far as grade five rivers go, the upper section of the Kaituna is considered the forgiving kind. #carousel-container .carousel-container-content h2 { He was thrown from a raft on the Kaituna River, at Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, on Tuesday, the Daily Post at Rotorua reported. Youll also be in small rafting groups, with other boats around to help if anything does happen, which is unlikely. If for any reason we feel safety is compromised we reserve the right to cancel any trip or person. Rotorua Rafting was built around the love of the river, extensive local and cultural knowledge, as well as the best-handpicked guides to best showcase the aroha of the kere awa. He remembers the first time he decided whitewater kayaking was for him. top: 75px !important; Keep kayaking, keep charging.. padding: 16px 20px; It took several more weeks before he could face going down into the lower gorges again, but he did, finding unexpected solace in the seeing the spot where Jull came to rest. background-color: #3A444D !important; In Okere Falls, however, hes just a regular guy in a spray skirt. The beginning of the trip starts off mild so its easy to get into the flow of rafting the river. Why would I jump out? z-index: 0 !important; .home-banner-text-btn h2 { Full description. display:none !important; .team-members-all .pp-tm-content.pp-tm-content-normal { She was with her husband and a group of friends. He hangs at a vertical angle, with the nose of his kayak pointing directly into the mist that rises from the foot of the falls. I expected to hear her whistle back straight away, he says, gnashing his teeth as he clenches his jaw to prevent himself from breaking down. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 0 : e.tabw; .footer-logo-row { e.gw : [e.gw]; .ult-open > .ult_modal div.ult_modal-body > iframe { #carousel-container { window.innerHeight : window.RSIH; background: #000000 !important; This is a long, deep gorge in a changing landscape that sees the tight, winding canyon widen out to boulder gardens. } Combine Maori culture with stunning scenic vistas and 360-degree panoramic views. .pricing-custom ul.pp-pricing-table-features{ #carousel-container .book-now a { margin: auto !important; @media screen and (min-width:770px) { Meet us at our base Hangar 14s, Rotorua Airport, 837 Te Ngae Road . All of our guides are handpicked, highly skilled professionals that come from an extreme whitewater background in Kayaking and Rafting. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Youll be in safe hands, so just enjoy the ride! Feb 17, 2023 | louisiana high school 100 meter record | louisiana high school 100 meter record for (var i in e.rl) if (e.gh[i]===undefined || e.gh[i]===0) e.gh[i] = e.gh[i-1]; border-radius: 3px; You may want to bring a few snacks to enjoy after the rafting, and some water or other refreshments too. The adrenalin is pumping thats what keeps me coming back.. margin-bottom: -20px !important; 2hr30min - 3hrDuration. For Louises parents, Liz and Adrian Jull, the Okere Falls landmarks provide tangible reminders of their youngest child: the general store, where Louise worked before embarking on a teaching career; Taheke Marae, where her funeral took place; the put-in area, where the family released flowers into the stream and said their final goodbyes. flex-wrap: wrap !important; } Kaituna River G5 Rotorua's favourite adrenaline pumping adventure. padding:0px 10px !important; Theres even a public bus operating between Rotorua and the community of Okere Falls if you dont have your own transport. What draws me to this place is not just the river, but the community. She became really wrapped in the adventure aspect exploring wild rivers, which is something you cant really do in the slalom world, her father explains. bottom: 60px !important; The white water rafting Rotorua tour will begin gently enough, as you paddle along the calm beginning. Dont let the water splashes and the crashing of the rapids scare you away. The truth is, his girlfriends death that horrible, nightmarish event I will never get over taught him plenty about life. New Zealand is known for its extreme activities and sports throughout the country. height: 105px !important; background-color: var(--the7-accent-color); } She was right behind me and then I never saw her again.. They couldnt walk more than 10m without being swamped by competitors, many of whom have stayed at their Otaki home over the years. @media screen and (max-width: 1920px) and (min-width:769px){ Complex, precise and powerful sequential manoeuvring is non-negotiable. var nl = new Array(e.rl.length), a.book-btn.fh-button-true-flat-yellow.fh-fixed--bottom.fh-size--small { The Best Rafting in New Zealand! Grade 5. } The Kaituna is a grade five, which is characterised as "extremely difficult and violent, with life-threatening hazards". The local guides though will always have final say over the matter when it comes to the weather, and if the rapids are deemed too intense after a heavy storm, then the trip may have to be rescheduled. @media screen and (max-width: 1024px) and (min-width:200px){ I got back in the car to get a ride home and her clothes were still in the car. margin: 0 10px; float: none; When he looked back for a second time, she wasnt there. With an expert guide at the helm, you'll paddle through Class 5 white-water rapids of the Kaituna River, including an awesome 21-foot (7-meter) drop down Tutea Falls, the worlds highest commercially rafted waterfall. #mobile-menu span.menu-item-text { Located in the heart of kere Falls, Rotorua Rafting is directly opposite the put in (the start) of the Kaituna River (see map), allowing us to show our knowledge of the surrounding areasBook your spot and find out why Rotorua Rafting was voted #1 Travellers choice experience in New Zealand, #1 in the South Pacific, and in the Top 10 in the world on Trip Advisor 2019 and then again in 2021 sealing the #2 experience in the world! There were fears Louises friends in the kayaking and rafting fraternity, who had descended on the scene en masse when they heard one of their own was missing, would go back in by themselves to try to look for her. newh; When he says a drop or a certain stretch of rapids has consequence, what hes saying is, if mistakes are made really bad things can happen. When I was here for her funeral I was 100 per cent sure I would never go back to the lower gorges again, because it just felt impossible for me, says Hradilek. background-color: #f7e222 !important; Embrace a thrilling whitewater rafting adventure infused with Maori culture. #footer .wf-container-footer { 0 : parseInt(e.tabhide); } As you keep paddling, the sounds of water falling over the rocks become the soundtrack of your day while your guide tells you how to navigate the river. } We just kind of sat there helplessly, the water was moving so fast and it was impossible to get back to where we knew Lou was, Ryan explains. We visited there not long before she died and I remember standing on the deck [of the Lucas family bach] and thinking it was the perfect place for Louise. } e.mh = e.mh===undefined || e.mh=="" || e.mh==="auto" ? Furthermore, about 30% of those deaths come from heart conditions or heart attacks. .elementor-slideshow__title{ color: #3A444D !important; They had been confronted by death in their network of friends all too often. 0 : e.tabh; } Ryan already had a thirst for testing his limits. Ryan had just come back from a five-month injury lay-off the longest of his career and was eager to spend any spare moment on the water. color:#fff !important; } top: 7% !important; } max-height: 30px !important; .dt-owl-item-description { width: 100%; if(window.rs_init_css===undefined) window.rs_init_css = document.head.appendChild(document.createElement("style")); He was Madhu Shah, a tourist who is understood to be from Mumbai (Bombay) in India. margin: 0 auto; Trailhead address: Pilot Quay, Mt Maunganui, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand. Dying. padding-right: 20px; Trailhead coordinates: -37.63345, 176.1747 (37 38 00.42S 176 10 28.92E) View Mount Maunganui in a larger map. For paddlers of the skill level of Louise, Ryan and Joe Morley, this stretch of water would have been a nice, gentle way to ease themselves into their evening paddle, before they hit the relentless rapids in the lower gorges. .wprs_unslider a { if(e.layout==="fullscreen" || e.l==="fullscreen") There doesnt appear to be much to it from the main road. Wishlist. } Gnarly gorge is where things get particularly, well, gnarly. input#input_1_3 { A man in his 50s had got into difficulty in the Kaituna River and, despite attempts by medical staff, [was] unable to be revived and died at the scene. This has fostered a need to take bigger risks, make bolder decisions, and ride narrower margins of safety. Rotorua Raftings mission is simple. min-height: 112px !important; Against a soundtrack of poppy summer tunes blasting over the loudspeaker at the park, the Julls sat down to talk about their daughters extraordinary life. } e.tabw = e.tabw===undefined ? 0 : parseInt(e.tabw); 0 : e.rl[i]; padding: 10px 10px; And yes, Lina and I have a naked dog. a.book-btn.fh-button-true-flat-yellow.fh-fixed--bottom.fh-size--small { margin-top: 33px !important; Photo / NZME. .book-now { When Louise responded she was at the Huka Falls, he knew that could only mean one thing. .carousel-container-content { The only hint that this is the epicentre of whitewater paddling in this country is the haphazardly parked cars that line the highway, some sporting brightly coloured kayaks on their roofs. footer #bottom-bar .wf-float-right{ We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. background-color: #f7e222; Companies in Rotorua run trips all throughout the year, with more scheduled departures each day in summer than in winter. padding-bottom: 0 !important; position: absolute; e.gh : [e.gh]; The tour companies generally bring along a photographer with them too, to take shots along the river, including when you make the final drop over the adrenaline-inducing Tutea Falls. Hope was being chipped away with every second that ticked by. } Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Located in the heart of kere Falls, Rotorua Rafting is directly opposite the put in (the start) of the Kaituna River (see map), allowing us to show our knowledge of the surrounding areas. 2023 DIVERGENT TRAVELERS | ADVENTURE TRAVEL BLOG, Rotorua Rafting the Kaituna River: Our Personal Experience, White Water Rafting: Rotorua New Zealand Planning Tips, Location of the Kaituna River and How to Travel There, Training For Your Adventure on the Kaituna River, 15 Fun Things to do in Tauranga, New Zealand, 20 Awesome Things To Do In Queenstown, New Zealand, Two Week New Zealand South Island Itinerary, 19 North Island New Zealand Photos That Inspire Travel, 25 New Zealand Photos That Showcase the South Island, The Tongariro Crossing is the Best Hike in New Zealand, Two Week North Island New Zealand Itinerary, Kaikoura Whale Watching: The Ultimate Guide, 21 EPIC Things To Do In Kaikoura, New Zealand, Karangahake Gorge: Off the Beaten Track in NZ, Best Time to Visit New Zealand: Month by Month Breakdown. 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